The present invention relates to an improved boat stern running light in the form of an elongate wand which is illuminated from top to bottom for improved safety considerations.
The use of boat stern running lights is quite well-known in the art. The typical boat stern light which is common knowledge includes a pole type assembly wherein the pole is provided with a light source at the top end, while the lower end includes connection means for interconnecting with the power source of the boat. Such connection means generally includes a pair of terminal strips which are locked into touching contact with a pair of terminals which are in turn wired to the boat battery.
Over the years, many different versions of stern running lights have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,800 shows one form of a moveable pole light especially adapted for a boat which includes a horizontally slideable cover plate for covering the bore in the boat. The slideable cover plate covers the bore into which the pole is fitted when the pole is removed.
Various other patents have been issued for various assemblies of such pole lights, but typically, the prior art generally shows different means of attachment for the stern running light or stern pole to the boat. Typically, the stern lights are still designed as a pole member wherein the light is positioned on the top end of the pole, and the lower end of the pole adapted for power connection.
It has been determined, however, that at night, when a boat is moored in the water, any boat approaching shore can easily mistake a stern light for a light emanating from the shore line. For example, a boat moored approximately fifty feet from shore and simply anchored in the water, having its stern light in the on position, may not necessarily represent a boat in the water to another boater approaching from 200 to 300 yards off shore. Often it is found that the single light at the top of the pole simply blends in with the shore lights, and may easily be mistaken for nothing more than another light on shore. For this reason, many boat accidents have occurred due to boat collisions as a result of boaters mistakenly believing that a stern light is actually a light emanating from shore, and not necessarily a boat moored in the water.
No practical solution has been developed to overcome the safety problem referenced above. Hence, the present invention is intended as an improved stern running light which will afford to all boaters a more prominent display of a boat stern running light with a view toward avoiding boat collisions at night. Given the fact that a stern light is only used at night, it is believed that the present invention will greatly reduce, if not eliminate, such boating accidents.